Leiden University Student Repository

Jong, Tessa de (2024)

North Korean Nation Branding: Image Cultivation of the North Korean State in Influencer-Focused Youtube Videos

Bachelor thesis | Koreastudies (BA)

Through closed reading analysis, this thesis looked at the North Korean nation brand specifically in relation to the image of the state. It found that, through three topics which also act as symbols in the new nation brand, the state tried to convey care for its people and its competence as a leading body. This leads to the conclusion that North Korea is trying to establish a more positive nation brand by improving its image using the image repair theory. It did so by both stressing the good traits of the state and by delivering counter-messages to the ideas that North Korea is a dictatorship and that people are being forced to follow the state. This was done by emphasizing the benefits of living in North Korea and establishing the narrative that people follow the state out of gratitude.

North Korea

nation branding

YouTube videos

influencers

image repair theory

state image

image cultivation

leaders

Author

Jong, Tessa de

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Supervisors

Denney, S.C.

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en